Focus Groups were the method of choice for this study as they permitted participants to quickly generate responses from not only their own opinions but from the comments of their fellow students, resulting in large amounts of data and a more diverse range of opinions (Morgan, 1996).
Participants.
Using a convenience sampling method, more than 130 Ulster University students were recruited from the PSY307 Undergraduate Social Psychology module and divided into 15 groups, each holding one relaxed and unfettered collective discussion. Since the majority of Psychology students were female, the students were pre-assigned to their groups to evenly distribute the male participants (at least one per group) thereby reducing the effects of gender bias in the results. Each group comprised between 7 and 9 participants to take advantage of small group potential – where the group is large enough to encourage discussion but not so large as to wander off topic and be difficult to control (Office of Quality Improvement: University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2007).
Procedure.
Students were first introduced to the study in a one hour practical seminar at which each was given a handbook disclosing their assigned group number and the three questions that would be discussed. The group numbers, from 1 to 15, were used to maintain anonymity and although each person was expected to attend the focus group, it was made clear that active participation was not compulsory. Over a two week period, the groups were called upon to attend a small seminar room where they were greeted by a moderator. For this project, the moderator's role was filled by a PHD student, who was independent of the study, thereby reducing moderator bias. It was her job to ensure the discussion remained focused and on topic. She began the session by using an "ice-breaker" – a general question or exercise, designed to put the participants at their ease and encourage discussion.